Pleasure Under Falls
by Snow Childe
Summary: At the age of eighteen, Cloud asks Tifa to meet him at their secret place before he leaves for Soldier. When he departs, somebody quickly takes his place, but then he comes back home for a visit . . . (AU)
1. Abuse at its Sweetest

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Pleasure Under Falls

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Written By: Sunlit Faerie

Chapter: 1 – Abuse at its Sweetest

Rating: R

Category: Final Fantasy VII

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Disclaimer: Owned by Squaresoft.

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Warning: Romance fluffin' crap – Tifa/? – Rating _may_ increase – AU – _Requested_ – Mature readers _only_.

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Summary: At the age of eighteen, Cloud asks Tifa to meet him at their secret place before he leaves for Soldier. When he departs, somebody quickly takes his place, but then he comes back home for a visit . . .

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Author's **N**otes: I'm just going to take out my other fic. Not Rose Red, the other one. It didn't turn out so well and I like to keep my number of fics at the minimum of 2 or 3 at the max. And Rose Red will be updated sometime this week. I hope. All of you who like Rose Red, keep praying.

As for this story . . . as a pre-warning . . . they're _teenagers_. Hormones and teenagers. You figure it out.

. : . : .

The midnight sky sparkled in eternal brilliance, those shimmering diamonds teasing the dark cerulean ocean below. White foam kissed the shoreline before receding quickly. It was iridescent white on a black canvas, teasing it with light splashes of color. 

Nibelheim stood not afar from the beach; the only light coming from the town was from a tiny lamppost at the entrance.

He waited at the edge of seashore for her with suspicious eyes. His friend was taking mighty long just to meet him. It was already ten after midnight.

"Girls," He sighed, shaking his head. A smirk tugged at his lips before he gazed at the far out horizon, the horizon he couldn't see for black had blanketed it in its arms.

"Cloud!" He turned around to the harsh whisper of his name, only to find her running up to him. She wore a strapped, white summer dress with white sandals to accompany her apparel.

She was late because she wanted to dress up for him.

He arched one eyebrow in amusement before crossing his arms over his chest and grinning.

How sweet.

Tifa approached him and stopped immediately as she saw Cloud ankle-length in salt water. She looked up at him questioningly and the daring look in his eyes had her kicking off her sandals and coming up right next to him. Her hand took his and her fingers intertwined with his own digits as she swung their arms together back and forth in a childish motion. He couldn't help but stare down at her and was taken aback at the inane grin on her face.

Almost like she was mocking him about something.

"So . . .?"

"Hm?" He didn't open his lips to speak, just hummed at her seemingly despondent question.

"Hey!" She released her hand from his and smacked him across the arm.

He smiled knowingly at her attempt to hit him. How girlishly . . . cute.

"You're the one who brought me here and I demand that you tell me why." She huffed, resting her hands on her hips.

He licked his lips consciously before taking a step away from her and idly eyeing her whole body. When his gaze finally met hers again, he saw the angry flare in her eyes, which seemed to make his blood boil in enticement.

This innocent conniving vixen of seventeen was exciting him in the most torturous way.

"Just wanted to tell you I'm leaving for Soldier again. They're recruiting men for the attack on Wutai." He shrugged nonchalantly.

Her arms dropped back to her sides as she stared at him in slight alarm. "So you're leaving _again_? Why?"

"I made first-class the last time so I'm required to go. Besides, I'm only leaving for a year."

"Do you know what could happen in a year, Cloud Strife?" She chastised him as she jabbed him with her pointing finger. He took a step back and braced himself. For a petite girl such as she, she was strong. "I might meet somebody I like and I have nobody to tell my secrets to and worse yet, what if I just keel over and die?"

He added to his mental state of mind that girls tend to go overboard with reasons. Keeping that in mind, a hearty laugh erupted from his lips.

"You're _laughing_ at me?" She inquired with an incredulous glare. "I really mean it, Strife. You're my only friend here."

He was amused. "What about Johnny and his wimp of a posse? They're your friends aren't they?"

She stomped on the ground, causing some of the water to splash on both of them. "That's not fair!"

"Don't be such a whiner." He teased, his blue eyes glowing.

She turned away from him and let out a huff. "I'm never speaking to you again, Cloud Strife."

Cloud took a step towards her and wrapped his arms around her body, holding her close. She struggled for a moment but, knowing it was for naught, gave up.

"You annoy me sometimes." She grumbled.

"You know I don't." He whispered in her ear and in an instant, his tongue decided to tease the skin underneath it. Tifa suppressed the urge to shiver, not the least interested of giving him the satisfaction.

"Yes you do. And when the girls see you in Wutai, they won't be able to come near you because you'll just provoke them to death."

"You sure about that?" He said with a husky tone before going back to business. Tifa made a whining noise in her throat.

"And what about the guys you'll meet here when I'm gone?" He said between licks and playful nibbles.

"What about them? If anything, they're going to be less of a dick than you."

"Your banter is just going to get you in trouble." He growled with an evil smirk. His hand snaked up her dress and before long she let out a shriek as she felt a twinge of pain on her backside.

"Strife, you're such a pervert!" Her hand was about to come in contact with his face, but he managed to grab onto her small hand and grab her close to him.

"Physical abuse is bad, Lockheart." He whispered, as their faces were merely centimeters apart. His cobalt eyes dazzled. "Very bad."

Tifa instantly felt weak in the knees, her heart thumping loudly inside her chest, and her eyelids shutting.

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Don't give him the satisfaction, she reminded herself. _This is what he wants_.

"You're right. Physical abuse isn't right." She snatched her hand away from his and walked back to pick up her sandals.

Cloud looked on as she slipped her feet into them and sauntered away, obviously entertained at her sense of childishness. He watched as she disappeared back into the village. Once out of sight, he pulled on his shoes and walked back to Nibelheim.

As soon as he reached the central part of town, his eyes wandered over to the Lockheart house and smiled inexplicably when he remembered no one was at home. His eyes glanced over at the Shin-Ra mansion and saw the lights on and people dancing through the open windows.

He averted his stare to the house and thankfully prayed to the heavens above that the Mrs. Lockheart had planted an oak tree that had grown unnaturally high, its branches sticking out towards Tifa's open windowsill. 

Cloud couldn't help but laugh to himself at the thought of seeing Tifa's face when she caught him sneaking into her room. But that contemplation obliterated into pieces in his head when he made his way to her window.

She had dressed into her nightgown, seemingly made of red satin. Tifa walked to her dresser and back to her bed where she sat down and started removing blankets, getting ready to tuck herself in. She moved stuffed animals away from her pillow and down onto the floor gently.

He thought it silly. A girl her age was taking care of inanimate objects as if they were real animals.

Figuring now was the time, he entered the room in stealth, quiet as a cat, and walked softly to the edge of her bed. As soon as half of her right leg was buried under the blanket, he pounced on her as she emitted a loud screech to which he resolved by covering his hand over her mouth.

"Hey, it's just me." He whispered soothingly into her ear. Cloud felt her tension but she soon relaxed at the sound of his voice. "You okay now?"

She nodded. Cloud lifted his hand away from her mouth only to be greeted by a holler of curses.

"Cloud, you're such a bastard!" She kicked him off of her and scrambled out of her bed. With angry eyes and heavy breathing, she stared down at his sprawled figure on her bed. He propped himself up with his elbows and stared back with those lazy orbs of blue.

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Goddamn those eyes.

"Now that's emotional abuse." He replied, smirking. He knew exactly what buttons to push.

"Everything's just related to abuse isn't it?" Tifa huffed indignantly.

"Sure is. But there's one I happen to like especially."

"Dare I ask?" She questioned tiredly.

"Curiosity killed the cat." He said.

"Which is exactly why I don't care what you like."

Cloud laughed at her. "You're not PMS'ing are you?"

"What!" She yelled.

"I have every right as a man to think so. You're going through that mood swing phase. Just a few minutes ago, you were happy to see me and now . . . well, just look at you."

"_Semi_-happy." Tifa sneered.

"See what I mean?" He didn't mean to make it sound like a question; more like a statement.

She sighed. "Cloud Strife, if you don't get out of my house in three seconds, I'll scream so loud that the whole village will hear me."

Tifa barely noticed the darken of his eyes before she started counting. "One, tw-

He reached out to grab her and pulled her down onto the bed with him. Caught between his arms, she struggled, but with his strength, he pinned his arms above her head with his hands as he held himself up by his knees. She was too fragile to be sat on.

And, with haste, his lips crashed down on hers. His tongue traced her lips and he couldn't help but taste the flavor of gingered peaches. That did not help calm his need so he kissed her more forcefully to which she kissed him back with equal force. Tifa tried to free her arms from his grasp, but it only caused him to hold them tighter.

She moaned against his lips and thrashed underneath him. His tongue found its way into her mouth and probed around. Finally, he pulled away but not before he could get a quick nibble of her bottom lip.

They each breathed heavily and stared at one another with evident lust in their eyes. Cloud's hand slowly meandered its way up her smooth thigh under her nightdress and came to rest upon her hips. His thumb stroked the skin there gently.

"This," He kissed her quickly and his lips made its way down her neck and onto her bare collarbone where he dropped more tender kisses like rain on silk, "is the kind of abuse I like."

The husky tone in his voice didn't help much to her increasing want. She managed to repress most of the need she was feeling, but he had taken the desire she felt to new heights when his callused hands rubbed her shoulders and slowly slipped off one of the straps to her dress.

Cloud inhaled the scent of vanilla she had lathered up on her creamy skin earlier and his craving was growing intense. Before kissing her again, he reached out to turn off her lamp.

. : . : .

He groaned and rolled his head back on forth on his arms as he tried to rid the feeling of dizziness. Without a second though, he began to bang his head on the table. The pain was surging through his head. Hangovers. What a bitch.

"You shouldn't have drank too much." His friend, Rude, said in his ever-so-blasé tone of voice.

Leave it up to him to think of logic.

He scowled and looked at his friend with tired eyes. Strands of hair fell over his depths of aquamarine. He stood up on wobbly feet, slightly weak, as he strolled over to the door. He saluted the barmaid behind the counter and gave her a weak, yet striking grin. "Thanks, babe."

His friend shoved him out the door. But that was after he heard the reply of the barmaid.

"You're welcome! Come back any time, Zack!"

. : . : .

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End Chapter I


	2. Unlikely Encounter - 1

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Pleasure Under Falls

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Written By: Sunlit Faerie

Chapter: 2 – Unlikely Encounter

Rating: R

Category: Final Fantasy VII

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Disclaimer: Owned by Squaresoft.

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Warning: Romance fluffin' crap – Tifa/? – Rating _may_ increase – AU – _Requested_ – Sexual content – Mature readers _only_,

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Author's **N**otes: Much to my dismay, the person who requested did not choose Zack. He only has _cameo_ appearances . . . what a load of crap . . . just kidding. :)

Maybe I should do the rewrite of FF7 and towards post-Meteor and see how far this goes? Sounds like a bad idea . . . but I'm going for it!

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Blades of grass touched with the fresh scent of dawn's teardrops undulated in the calm, even breeze. Aurora's lace of gold from its bed allocated its warmth and shine to the whole world, bringing everyone to a pleasant wake.

The town of Nibelheim was already bustling with people. Bakeries were opened and the appetizing aroma of bread and a variety of desserts had many individuals lining up inside the store. The marketplaces opened their doors and a horde of villagers filed inside to different areas, picking up food they desperately needed.

Many stores were ready for business for that new day. It was a special day, however, for the Soldiers from their hometown were coming home. The Nibelheim community was preparing the town celebration with streamers, balloons, banners, and a variety of food. The masquerade ball was the official welcoming of the Soldiers and was to be held in the Shin-Ra mansion where most activities were held.

Outside Nibelheim was the beach. The ocean waves were gentle and the color was a sparkling, clear blue. It washed up against the white sand softly and pulled back. It was the very mirror of paradise. Besides Mt. Nibel, the Nibel people were known for keeping a beach as beautiful as theirs.

There was a teenage girl of eighteen straddling a man's legs, of who was about twenty, with a playful grin on her face, fingers tracing down his bare chest, boxer-clad body. The silver chain with a cross dangling from it curled about his neck, which sparkled with the utmost radiance from the sun's rays.

"You going to show me now?" She asked him.

"Tonight." He replied simply, closing his eyelids, grinning at self-satisfaction for torturing the innocent. One-worded answers were divine.

"But you promised! At least give me a hint on what it is?" She pleaded tugging on his necklace.

"Water."

She gaped. "Come on! We have water everywhere! What, are you going to splash me to death?"

"You always have to wait for something." He opened his eyelids where sunlight bounced off his aquamarine eyes. "I had to wait for you to say 'yes' for a few months. Be glad you only have to wait for a few hours."

She let out a long sigh before standing up. 

"Tifa!" The two turned their heads to the sound of the voice and saw her mother coming towards them. He blessed the Gods for not having her father come and fetch her. He wasn't exactly the most loved man in town.

"Mom, over here!" Tifa waved out to the woman that finally slowed her jog to a walk.

When her mother finally approached them, she stopped and gave her daughter a hug. Her eyes traveled to the man sprawled lazily on the floor with a grin. She laughed.

"What have you two been doing the past hour? I didn't see you in bed this morning."

Tifa's face blanched. She didn't recognize his frown. 

"Dad wasn't home was he?"

Athene brushed off her statement with a wave of her hand. "Don't worry, sweetie. Your dad left early for the Nibelheim Town Meeting."

She let out a sigh of relief. 

"Well, now, since that's settled let's go back, shall we? We need to pick out your dress."

Tifa nodded. She looked down him and he urged her to go on. She waved good-bye and headed towards Nibelheim with her mother.

"Sweetie, are you going out with that man? I mean, he's twenty and you're eighteen."

Tifa let out a slight giggle. "Mom, I'm eighteen. You said it yourself. I'm a big girl now."

Athene shook her head with a rueful smile. "Time flies by fast, doesn't it? I know you're not a baby any more but look at the circumstances. Your father doesn't appreciate him much-

"Mom, we're not even going out."

Athene looked at her in confusion. She pursed her cherry lips and her face just demanded an explanation.

"We're not going out." She said again. "Trust me. I'm not even sure if we have a relationship."

"You're not . . . well, to put it blandly, bedroom friends . . . are you?" Athene was hesitant with her question but she had a right.

"Mother! You, of all people, know I'm not like that!"

Her mother shook her head. "You're right, you're right. Forget that subject and let's move on to another one, okay?"

Tifa nodded quickly. "I'm up for it."

Athene laughed. "Have you and that Cloud boy been keeping in touch?"

She saw her daughter nibble her bottom lip in nervousness and perhaps a touch of depression. She wasn't quite sure.

"Um . . . yeah."

That was only half the truth. She had kept in touch with him for the first few months he was gone but suddenly, he had delivered her a letter stating the dread she was concerned about the moment he left. After that, she couldn't write back. The letters would keep on coming, asking what she was up to and why she wouldn't write back to him, but she would never answer.

It mad her feel guilty, sure, but she didn't know how to react. Afterwards, a man asked her out and she had said 'yes', due to the fact that she needed somebody to comfort her. It was wrong, she knew. She knew she was using him, but he was using her too wasn't he?

They used each other for comfort. They didn't know the other had the same intentions of manipulating. 

She shook her head.

No, it was only she. Maybe that's why their relationship was never official because of her. The words would just come flying out of her mouth, but she was unsure if she meant it all.

No, she did. She just didn't know how to react if he offered the same intensity of affection. Cloud had done the same thing and she was afraid that-

"We're home! Okay, Tifa, go take a shower."

She had been woken from her reverie. She could merely nod.

. : . : .


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